Research, innovation key to building new BD: Farzana Sharmin  

BAGATIPARA, NATORE, Aug 15: Young people must contribute to national development by applying their knowledge, technology, innovation and human values, Social Welfare State Minister Barrister Farzana Sharmin said on Friday.

She made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of a two-day international conference on engineering research and technology at the Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology (BAUET) campus in Bagatipara of Natore.

The state minister said such international conferences provide researchers and academics with opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience, develop new technologies, expand international cooperation and explore new areas of research.

“The government has started work to build a new Bangladesh. We will provide necessary support for research and its practical applications,” she said.

Farzana Sharmin said the government wanted to take ideas from the research papers presented at the conference, where necessary, and use them to help take the country towards prosperity.

She urged young people to use knowledge, technology, innovation and humanitarian values for the development of the country.

BAUET Vice-Chancellor Brig Gen SM Lutfor Rahman said the conference had opened new avenues for research and innovation and created opportunities for local and foreign researchers to exchange knowledge and experience.

He said the event would strengthen interdisciplinary research, international cooperation and links between educational institutions and industry.

“The conference will remain a milestone in Bangladesh’s international engineering research and technological advancement,” he said.

Professor Dr Md Qudrat-e-Jahan, Vice-Chancellor of Bogura University of Science and Technology, spoke as an honoured guest, while Professor Dr Ko Yamada of Japan’s Gunma University attended as a special guest.

Professor Dr Shelia Shahnaz of BUET’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Professor Dr Sheikh Anwarul Fattah of the same department also spoke.

The conference, organised by BAUET’s Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured 328 selected research papers from 109 universities in 18 countries. The papers covered areas including signal processing, information, communication and systems.